Self-waiting table



(No Model.)

G. W. JACKSON.

SELF WAITING TABLE. I No. 505,602. Patented Sept. 26, 1893l UNITED STATES PATENT Prien.

GEORGE YV. JACKSON, OF WESTON, VEST VIRGINIA.

SELF-WAITING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,602, dated September 26, 1893. Application filed May 13 1893. Serial No. 474,139. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. JACKSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Veston, in the county of Lewis and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Table, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tables,and has for its object to provide a table that may be employed for self-waiting purposes or for offices, and embodies not only combined stationary and rotatable features but also vertically adj ustable mechanism for elevating the center of the table for various purposes.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof as will be hereinafter more fully described and. claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a table arranged for self-waiting purposes and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line oc-a:, Fig. 1, showing themechanism as having been operated and holding the center of the table elevated. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the table arranged for office purposes, the center thereof being lowered. Fig. tis a vertical sectional view upon line y-y of Fig. 3, the center of the :table being elevated.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a supporting frame, having legs 2, and on which is rigidly mounted a stationary rim 3, which is of circular form and has an opening 4. in the center thereof in which is removably mounted a center-piece 5, having an opening 6 extending therethrough. Extending across the supporting frame 1 is a cross-strip 7, having an opening 8 extending vertically through the center thereof in which is stationarily mounted a tubular sleeve 9, that depends some distance below the under side of the cross-strip and is interiorly screwthreaded at its lower end, as at 10. Removably mounted in the said tubular sleeve, and

extending through the opening 6 in the center-piece 5, is a depending post 11which` is securely connected to a disk 12,-attached to the under side of the central portion of a revolving center-piece 13, which stands above the rim 3, and as shown in the drawings, may be employedeither for the purpose of a selfwaitin g table, or as shown in Fig. 4 especially, it may be supplied with suitable drawers or other compartments 14, and with the said rim 3, be conveniently used'in offices; in this latter instance it being understood that the drawers will be used to receive papers and are located against the under side of the said revolving center-piece, while the upper portion of the latter may be readily employed to support books or other articles, and held in convenient position for ready reference.

Adjustably engaging the interiorly-screwthreaded portion 10 of the sleeve 9, is ascrew 15, which is of tubular form and has alower turning disk or hand-wh eel 16, to thereby adjust the said screw within the said tube and raise and lower the same to control the distance that the said post 11, will enter thereinto. Extending vertically upward through the screw 15 is a rod 17, which has its lower end attached to a tie-plate or shoe 18, and to the opposite end of the said tie-plate or shoe is secured the lower end of a guide-rod 19, which has free vertical movement upward through an opening 20, in the cross-strip 7. Pivotally connected to the guide-rod isthe lower yoked end 21, of an arm 22, whose upper end is pivotally secured to the inner end of an elbow lever 23, which is fulcrumed, as at 24., and has its outer end projecting a sufficient distance to one side of the under part of the table and formed into an operating handle 25. The rod 17 normally contacts with the lower end ofthe depending post 11, and by operating the lever 23 to raise the said rod 17, the said post and the revolving centerpiece carried thereby may be raised or elevated for various purposes, and at a suitable distance above the level of the rim 3. By operating the disk or hand-wheel 16 to move the screw 15 upwardly into the tubular sleeve 9, the elevation of the revolving center-piece will be increased, while by an opposite adj ust'- ment of the said screw the elevation. of the said revolving center piece will be decreased.

Theadj usting screw 16 limits the upward movement of the center piece 13 by contacting with the tie-plate 18.

When the device is employed as a selfwaiting table, the center-piece 5 is employed IOO and is located in the opening 4E, and above the same is mounted the revolving centerpiece 13. The tablecloth is then placed over the rim with4 an opening in the center, and the individual plates also properly positioned on said rim. The serving dishes containing the food are placed upon the revolving center-piece and thereby the employment of a waiter is dispensed with. In the use of the device for office purposes the center-piece 5 is entirely dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 4, and the revolving center-piece 13 is alone used'and supplied with drawers as heretofore stated, and is adapted to be let down into the opening 4 and make a flush top for the table if so desired. When it is desired to use the papers or other matter which may be contained within the drawers or compartments7 the mechanism is operated to raise the said revolving center-piece to gain access to the said drawers or compartments, and books or other matter may be placed on the top surface of the said revolving center-piece. By the rotatable mounting of the said center-piece 13 ready access may be had to the drawers or compartments in connection therewith and books. or other matter placed on the top surface of the saine are made conveniently accessible.

Many other advantages will appear from time to time to those using the construction and arrangement of table in either of its forms as herein set forth, and its convertibility from one use to another makes it especially a valuable addition to the art.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the principle or sacricingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having described the claimed as new isl. In a table, the combination of a frame having a circular rim provided with a central opening, a vertically movable center-piece of the same diameter as said opening provided with a depending post, a vertically disposed interiorly threaded tube mounted in the frame and arranged below the rim and receiving the depending post, a vertically adjustable tubular screw arranged in the said invention, what is tube and depending therefrom, a vertically movable rod passing through the screw and having its movement limited by the same and engaging the lower end of the post, and a lifting lever connected with the lower end of the rod, substantially as described.

2. In a table, the combination of a frame provided with a circular rim having a central opening, a vertically movable center-piece conforming to the configuration of said opening and provided with a depending post, a vertical tube interiorly threaded and mounted on the frame and receiving said post, a tubular adjusting screw arranged in the lower portion of said tube and depending therefrom, a vertically'movable rod passing through the screw and having its upward movement limited thereby and engaging the lower end of the post, a guide rod slidingly mounted on the frame and arranged parallel with the vertically moving rod and having its lower end connected with the lower end of the said vertically moving rod, and a lever connected with the guide rod, substantially as described.

3. In a table, the combination of a stationary rim of circular form having a circular opening in the center thereof, a cross-strip located under said rim and having a tubular sleeve fixed thereto with a lower internallyscrewthreaded portion, a tubular screw mounted in said lower screw-threaded portion of the sleeve, a rod extending upwardly through the said screw into the sleeve, a tieplate or shoe connected to the lower end of the rod, a guide-rod connected to the opposite part of said tie-plate or shoe at its lower end and movably mounted in said cross-strip at its upper end, an arm pivotally connected to said guide-rod, an elbow lever movably attached to the said arm, and a revolving center-piece having a depending post adj ustably fitted in the said sleeve, said tubular screw having a hand-wheel or disk thereon to adjust the same and control the elevation of the said revolving center-piece, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

., GEORGE W. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

G. M. CHIDEsTER, C. F. LYNCH. 

